Filters
How one views the world depends on the set of filters screening information, emotion, education, and the imagination. Some of us are better than others at recognizing the filters we use and can, for moments, remove a filter to allow the light of Truth into the mind. That is what I like about John Stewart. His show has evolved into a filter removal system for the country through the use of humor the same way Cronkite’s twenty-two minutes did with the actual reporting of facts which is what the “news” once was.
My filter on the “news” is MSNBC. More often than not they get it, mostly, down the middle with the hard news and their “opinion” shows do a better job with the facts than does Fox news. (My opinion of course). One of my brother-in-laws is on the other side of the political divide from me. His filter on the “news” is Fox News. I think Hannity, Beck, Limbaugh, the morning Fox show, and most of what they do at Fox News is designed to keep working class to poor white people anxious and angry. I think my brother-in-law would characterize MSNBC as elite, politically correct, overly educated people that have never had to do a hard day’s work in their lives. And so goes the divide in this country as well as the governor’s race here in Virginia that will mercifully end tomorrow.
Enter my favorite filter removing device, The Daily Show. (A side note that Fake Sharon on twitter was a filter removing device at General Assembly.) Though John’s people manipulated construction of the clip, they did take Fox News at face-value and reported the news “fair and balanced” so the viewer could decide. Click here to enjoy the bit titled, For Fox Sake.
During the 2008 Presidential primary i remember one of the candidates, I think it was Mitt Romney, said something and I thought, “Wait, didn’t he say the exact opposite a few months ago?” I checked the internet, watched a few news shows, no one, even opponets of Romney never said a word. Maybe I was wrong. Lo and behold, The Daily Show played the old clip and exposed the posturing of the candidate.
Not only is The Daily Show one of the funniest and smartest shows on TV, but it has become one of the most informative news programs, in large part because it treats the viewer has an intelligent person.
Charles Schulz once said that a cartoonist can sometimes be more effective than a minister. Maybe a comedian is more effective than a journalist.